State DPH COVID-19 Numbers
The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports the number of positive cases and deaths daily on the state's COVID-19 dashboard.
Town-specific case numbers are published by the state every Thursday.
- 1122 Needham cases to date (1/21/2021). This is an increase of 77 cases since the 1/14/21 report. Needham is in the YELLOW category this week. Read the state’s Weekly Public Health Report here.
- 102 Coronavirus deaths in Needham to date (1/14/21).
- Needham Public Health had conducted 252 vaccinations to date
All Phase 1 Groups Now Eligible to Receive Covid Vaccine
Governor Baker announced today that all Phase 1 individuals and groups are now eligible to receive the Covid vaccine. This includes: healthcare workers doing direct COVID-facing care; long-term care residents and staff, first responders (police, fire and EMT), those living or working in congregate care facilities (shelter, group homes, correctional facilities), home-based health care workers and healthcare workers doing non-Covid-facing care. The full list of eligible groups can be found here. The state says Phase 2 will begin in February. Needham Public Health will begin offering the vaccine to all Phase 1 groups once the state has delivered the vaccine to Needham. Vaccinations will occur subject to availability. It is expected the state will send multiple shipments to Needham over the course of the vaccination period. More information will be made available to the public as soon as it is available.
State Lifts Overnight Stay at Home Order Effective Monday, Restaurants Allowed to Stay Open Past 9:30
Effective Monday, January 25th at 5:00am, the Stay-at-Home Advisory for the hours of 10pm – 5am will be rescinded. At the same time, the Mandatory Early Closure of Businesses Order requiring certain businesses to close by 9:30pm will also be rescinded. Those businesses, including restaurants, will be allowed to serve customers past 9:30 pm. The Governor also announced today that the 25% temporary capacity and gathering limits for businesses will remain in place until Monday, February 8th.
Needham Free Public Library Hosting Book Donation Event this Saturday
On Saturday, January 23rd, the Friends of the Needham Public Library will be accepting book donations at the Library from 10 AM- 12 PM. Please put the books into the trunk/hatchback of your car in double grocery bags and bring them to the Rosemary Street parking lot. Drive to the end of the parking lot and remain in your car. A Friends volunteer will remove the books from your car.
Please limit your donation to 2 bags per car at this time. We appreciate your donations and are grateful for your support of the library.
Additional Important Vaccination Information
Needham Public Health has been inundated with questions from residents about when they can receive the vaccine and will try to respond to all questions. In the meantime, please continue to check https://www.mass.gov/info-details/covid-19-vaccine-distribution-timeline-phase-overview for when you can receive the vaccine. Needham Public Health is following the state of Massachusetts’ 3-Phased Vaccine Distribution Plan. The Town does not have the ability to vaccinate individuals or groups outside of the state-approved list of recipients. Massachusetts is currently in Phase 1 of the vaccination effort.
Individuals 75-years-old and older are currently not eligible to receive the vaccine until Phase 2 (unless they fall into one of the Phase 1 groups). While some states are offering the vaccine to those 65-years-old or older, Massachusetts has not authorized that group as part of Phase 1 or Phase 2.
It is anticipated that Phase 2 will begin in February and Phase 3, which includes the general population, will begin in April.